Shoe-clasp



(No Model.)

P. CLIFFORD.

SHOE CLASP. No. 469,935. PatentedMar. 1, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PATRICK CLIFFORD, OF QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS.

`SHOE-CLASP.v

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 10.469,935, dated March 1, 1892.

.ippnoationneatunea1891. serrano. 395,515. (Nomads To all whom t may concern.-

Beit known that I, PATRICK CLIFFORD, of Quincy, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Clasps, of which the following is a specification.

The invention has relation to clasps or fasteners generally, and particularly to fasteners designed for use upon shoes of line grade or quality.

It is the object of the invention -to provide 1a clasp which may be used upon thin fine leather shoes over the arch of the instep without discomfort to the wearer.

lt is also the object of the invention to provide such improvements in clasps or fasteners as will make them unobjectiona'ble in appearance. efficient and convenientinnse, and readily ladjustable to snitthe desires of the user. y

To these ends the inventionconsists of a clasp or fastener having the construction or combination of parts as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claim.

Reference is to be had to the annexed drax ings and tho letters marked thereon, forming a part of this specification, the same letters designating the same parts or features, as the case may be, wherever they occur.

In the said drawings, Figure l is a top plan View of the invention drawn to an enlarged scale. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the same. Fig. 3v is a side view. Fig. 4 is a 1ongitudinal sectional View taken on the line -l 4 of Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a similar sectional view showing the tongue of the fastening member open and as just engagedl with the bowed link-plate. Fig. 6 is a View somewhat similar to Fig. 5, showing the tongue of the adjusting member in open position and as just engaged with thelink-plate. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the fastening member drawn to a smaller scale. Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7, showing the tongue and base-plate disconnected.

In the drawings, ct designates what I have for the purposes of this specification chosen it may be attached to the material of which the shoe is constructed, and at the other end with acentral spring-arm d and side spring-arms e. The spring-arms may, as is shown, form an integral part of the base-plate of each member and be formed by slitting such base-plate from the end toward the heel, as is best seen in Figs. 2, 7, and S. The central arm d has its end f bent upward or outward at substantially a right angle to the main or body portion, the ends g of the side arms e being bent at an angle to the body portion in a direction opposite thatof the end f. portions of the side arms e are oset from the plane of the base-plate and central springarm d, as at h.

rdesignates a tongue, T-shaped in form, adapted to rest upon the arm CZ adjacent to the angular end f and to have the laterallyprojecting arms j extend under the offset ends of the spring-arms e, so that it may be in a sense `pivotally held between the ends of the spring-arms, the latter arms acting upon the The inner' cross-arms j of the tongue to hold it in open or closed position when moved to either of said positions, as will be readily understood by an inspection of the drawings.

lo designates a link-plate constructed of sheet metal or other suitable material, and whichJv may be curved or bowed, as shown. The said link-plate is provided in one part near the end with a hole or slot Z, with which the fastening-tongue of the member a. is

adapted to engage to buckle or latch the shoe,

and in the other part the said link-plate is provided with a plurality of slots or holes 'm at different distances from the end with which the adjusting -tongue of the member b is adapted to engage to clasp or fasten the shoe tighter or looser, as may be desired, over the instep of the foot of the wearer. The shank of each tongue 't' is slightly bent, as at n, so that when the tongue is in closed position it may pass through the slots of the linkplate and not project to an objectionable extent above the outer surfaces of the baseplate. The adj listing-tongue of the member b may be reduced in length, -as shown, to lighten and simplify the construction and enhance the appearance of the clasp.

To attach the tongues to the link-plate, the said tongues may be. opened or raised, as

IOO

shown at the left in Fig. 5 and right in Fig. 6, passed through the slots in the link-plate, and then closed, as shown in Figs. l to 4, inelusive.

In use the tongue of the member b will be connected with the link-plate at the proper point, and the tongue of the member a will be employed to clasp or fasten and unelasp or unloose the shoe.

By the invention a highly-serviceable and readily-operated clasp or buckle is obtained and one which may be used without discomfort upon shoes of lightweight stock over the arch of the instep, and as theV clasp ean be :made quite small and as its parts may be made symmetrical in form it can be applied to shoes of line or high grade. The bowed or curved form of the undersurface of the clasp as a whole enables it to conform to the arch of the instep, and so obvates discomfort in use, which would otherwise result.

Having thus described the nature of the invention, I declare that what I claimisf- In a shoe-clasp, the combi-nation, with a link-plate provided in one portion with a plurality of holes or slots and in the other por,- tion with a single hole or slot, of two members a Z2, each comprising a base-plate provided at one end with a means whereby it may be attached to the material of whichthe 3 0 central arm, and then downwardly to form 35 bearings, the tongue i having lateral arms entering said bearings, whereby the tongueis pivoted and held in place upon the said springarms, the said tongue of one member being adapted to engage any one of the plu- 4c rality of holes or slots in the link-plate for the purpose of adjustment, and the said tongue of the other lnember'being-adaptedt-o engage the single hole or slot in the linkplate for the purpose of buckling or fasten- 45 ing` the shoe, substantiallyfas described.

In testimony whereof I have -signed my name to this specilication, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 28th .day of n Witnesses:

C. F. BROWN, ARTHUR W. CnossLEY. 

